Improvement in harvesters



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

atented' Aug. 25, 1874.

Invm

THE GRAPHIC CO PHOTD-L 2Sheet's --Sheet2.

H. F. MANN.

Harvesters.

Paten ted Aug. 25,1874.

H: :1 Ella Ina/@1132". v v I E GRAPH IC CO, PHOTO -L|TH UNITE V STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. MANN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

vIMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,499, dated August 25, 1874; application filed June 17, 1874. I

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'HENRY F. MANN, of the city of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings intwo sheets, making a part of thisspecificatiomin which- Figure 1 represents, in perspective, so much of a harvesting-machine as will illustrate my present invention, and as it appears for reaping and binding the grain on the -machine. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation of the same. Fig.13 represents a rear view, in perspective, -of the machine asit appears when arranged as and for a mowing-machine; and Fig. 416131'65811138 an inverted or bottom plan of the machine as it appears when arranged for mowing, the platform and seat being removed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each. g A B My invention relates to that class of harvesting-machines in which the binders ride and bind, and in which the out grain is carriedor moved sidewise, and by an elevating apparatus is discharged into or onto a receiver or table, from which it is taken in gavels by the binders and bound, the binders riding on the machine either standing or sitting, as" the case may be. Such machines have heretofore most commonly been made with 'a single drive-wheel; or, where a two-wheeled drivingframe has been used, the binders attachments have been fixedly mounted on the drivingframe, so as to move therewith, and the cutting and' elevating apparatus has been independently jointed to or connected with the driving-frame.

By my improvements I combine a grainplatform having an elevated side delivery and suitable binders attachments, by means of which the :binders ride and bind, with atwowheeled: driving-frame, so as to obviate the objections referred to, as well as others not named; and the nature of my invention consists, first, in the'construction of thev finger-bar or platform frame, elevator-frame, and the binders attachment frame, with a rigid connection of one to the other, and said united frames pivoted or jointed to a two-wheeled driving-frame between the main supporting or driving wheels, and preferably at or near the axis of the oscillating motion of such driving-frame, and in the line or direction of the draft of the team; second,'in the construction of the binders attachment frame and the driving-frame with an interposed hinge pivot or swing joint,

whereby the position-of the binders while at work will be comparatively unaifected by the oscillations from side to side of the main driving-frame.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and mode of operation.

The main driving and supporting wheels A B' are hung and turn on or with (as the case may be) a common axle, O, on which'latter is arranged the main frame D, furnished with.

suitable boxes or boxings a for the axle to turn in. On the main axle O is fastened the cog-gear wheel E, which works in a pinion, b, loosely arranged on the shaft F, but 'made fast to, so as to turn with, said shaft when the machine is working by a clutch, as at c. On the shaft F there is a bevelgear wheel, G, that works in a bevel-pinion, d, on the shaft 0, that carries and drives the crank-wheel f, through which motion is communicated to the cutters in the usual well-known way. This arrangement of drivinggear is'for what is termed a rear-cut machine; but on the front of the main frame there is a crank-shaft bearing, 9, similar to that at the rear of the frame, through which the shaft 6 may be extended,

and by means of a crank-wheel on the front In connection with my invention, however, I

any suitable known construction of twowheeled driving-frame, with either front or rear cut, may be employed, that above de-. scribed being simply one of many suited to the purpose in view; also, any known means of conveying and elevating the cut grain may,

The platform-frame, to the front of which the guards and cutters may be arranged in the usual well known way, its outer end being supported and carried by an outside supporting -wheel, I. The platform frame H, next the main frame, is united to two inclined pieces, J J, to or with which are connected the horizontal pieces K L, braced to each other and to the inclined pieces J J by the diagonals M N, so as to make a sub stantial frame-work of the whole or connect the two rigidly together. The horizontal pieces K L and diagonals M N and the arms R R form the intermediate connection between the platform and elevator frames and the main driving or gear frame. Upon this frame-work, when the grain is to be bound by binders riding upon the machine, there is placed a receiver, O, of any desired form, onto or into which the cut grain carried up by an endless apron or otherwise, from the grain table or platform is delivered, and binders tables P and platform or pedestal Q for supporting the binders, with or without seats; but, inconnection with the framework K L, binders attachments, such as are already known in the art, may be employed instead of those described. R R are metal arms pivoted to lugs 'i on the main frame of the machine, so as to make a free hinged connection between said arms and main frame. The upper ends of the arms R pass through loops or keepers h j on the platform-frame, and when the latter is adjusted upon said arms it is firmly held by setscrews, as at 1, passing through one set of the keepers, and against or into said arms. The lugs i, to which the platform-frame is hinged to the main frame by means of the arms R, are not, as shown, exactly in the center of the main frame, but are near enough to such center line to admit of the free motion of the main frame and of the platform-frame upon their hinged connection without either injuriously affecting the motion of the other, both accommodating themselves to the undulations of the ground that they specially pass over. If, however, it is desirable to make this hinged connection at the exact line of center of the main frame, and exactly midway between the main wheels, it can be done by hinging the arms R to the hollow trunnions 2 2, fast on the main driving-frame, and through which the crank-wheel shaft passes.

In practice the lugs are more convenient to get at, and the slight distance they arefrom the true center between the main wheels, as

above stated, makes no appreciable difference inthc independent swinging motionof either of the frames upon such hinged connections.

While the arms R R afford a convenient means for effecting the connection described,

they are .not indispensable since the same result may be secured in a variety of ways, the main point in this respect being the pivoting or hinging the two combined grain and binders frames to the driving-frame between i the wheels, and, preferably, in or near the vaxial line of oscillating motion, and such pivoting or hinging line may be above, in, orbelow the main frame, at pleasure.

It is also obvious that the binders frame may be pivoted to the driving-frame, as set forth, with less than a rigid connection with the grain-frame, or that swinging links may be substituted for the arms B 3 With useful results, though the specific construction to be employed in such case will form the subjectmatter of a separate application.

When the machine is to be converted into a grass-mower the pins that pivot the arms to the main frame are taken out, and then the entire platform-frame and binders attachment are lifted off, and the finger-bar S and its appliances are connected to the main frame at the central points 3 3, through or by means of the coupling-frame T. The platform U, on which is placed the drivers seat V, is then placed on and secured to the main frame, the lifting devices is l m applied, and the machine is ready for mowing.

There are other parts connected tothe machine, but, being such as are common or well known on other harvesting-machines, I do not deem it necessary to particularly describe them.

This construction of machine, and especially when used as a reaper, as in Figs, 1 and 2, brings the weight on or over the carryingwheels, and so avoids much side draft; and the binders platform, pedestal, or seats being directly over the center, between the carryingwheels, or practically so, there. is little jar or motion to the binders.

By the construction described and shown the machine can be converted from a reaper to a mower, and vice versa, with a minimum of time and labor, and the construction and operation of both are materially improved.

The manner of operating the machine in either adjustment will be understood by those skilled in the art without further explanation.

to secure by Letters Patent, is-,

1. In a harvesting-machine having two main supporting or driving. wheels, a finger-bar or platform frame, elevator-frame, and binders attachment, connected together, supported at the grain end by known suitable means, and at the opposite end by bearings or-pivots. up-

on the main driving-frame, said bearings or What I claim as my invention, and desire.

pivots being one in front and one in rear of the axis of the supporting or driving'wheels, and in the line or direction of the draft of the machine;

2. The-combined platform, elevator, and binders" frames, adjustably supported upon the main driving-frame, substantially as described.

3. The .frame. supporting the binders attaehment and the arms R, pivoted to the main drivin g-frame, forming the intermediate frame- Work or connection between the pivots or bearings upon the main driving or gear .frameon the one side, and the elevator and platform or finger-bar frames on the other.

H. FQMANN.

Witnesses:

J. G. BACKOFEN, MAX KRAUPER. 

